The present invention relates to a clutch arrangement for connecting two components, which can rotate relative to one another, of a motor vehicle drive train, in particular for connecting two shafts of a motor vehicle transmission or a shaft to an idler gear which is rotatably mounted on the shaft, having a clutch, having an actuator arrangement for activating the clutch, wherein the clutch is opened in a first actuator position of an actuator section of the actuator arrangement, and having a locking device for locking the actuator section in a locked position, in order to keep the clutch closed.
In addition, the present invention relates to a motor vehicle drive train having such a clutch arrangement and to a method for activating a clutch arrangement which has a clutch, an actuator arrangement and a locking device.
Clutch arrangements of the type mentioned at the beginning can be used, for example, as separating clutch arrangements in double clutch transmissions, wherein the clutch arrangement is arranged between a drive motor and a variable speed step transmission having a plurality of gearspeeds, and wherein the variable speed step transmission has two component transmissions here. Each component transmission is assigned different gearspeeds, wherein as a rule one of the component transmissions is assigned the even-numbered gearspeed stages, and as a rule the other component transmission is assigned the odd-numbered gearspeed stages.
A clutch arrangement of the type mentioned above can be used for a drive train in which the drive motor is formed by an electric motor and in which the transmission has only two gearspeed stages, as in the document DE 199 17 724 A1 mentioned above. In this context, two clutch arrangements are provided which serve to shift either the one gearspeed stage or the other gearspeed stage into the power flux to a differential of a driven axle.
Clutch arrangements of the type mentioned at the beginning are, however, also suitable for securing brakes and/or parking brakes.
The clutch of the clutch arrangement is preferably embodied as a friction clutch, in particular as a wet-running multi-disc clutch. However, the clutch can also be embodied as a dry friction clutch.
In motor vehicle drive trains, clutch arrangements of the type mentioned at the beginning are as a rule activated in an automated fashion by means of actuator arrangements.